Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China
Study on plant diversity is the base of woodland conservation. The Guancen Mountains are the northern end of Luliang mountain range in North China. Fifty-three quadrats of 10 m×20 m of woodland communities were randomly established along an altitudinal gradient. Data for species composition and envi...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2012-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/398765 |
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| author | Dongping Meng Jin-Tun Zhang Min Li |
| author_facet | Dongping Meng Jin-Tun Zhang Min Li |
| author_sort | Dongping Meng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Study on plant diversity is the base of woodland conservation. The Guancen Mountains are the northern end of Luliang mountain range in North China. Fifty-three quadrats of 10 m×20 m of woodland communities were randomly established along an altitudinal gradient. Data for species composition and environmental variables were measured and recorded in each quadrat. To investigate the variation of woodland communities, a Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were conducted, while species diversity indices were used to analyse the relationships between species diversity and environmental variables in this study. The results showed that there were eight communities of woodland vegetation; each of them had their own characteristics in composition, structure, and environment. The variation of woodland communities was significantly related to elevation and also related to slope, slope aspect, and litter thickness. The cumulative percentage variance of species-environment relation for the first three CCA axes was 93.5%. Elevation was revealed as the factor which most influenced community distribution and species diversity. Species diversity was negatively correlated with elevation, slope aspect, and litter thickness, but positively with slope. Species richness and heterogeneity increased first and then decreased but evenness decreased significantly with increasing elevation. Species diversity was correlated with slope, slope aspect, and litter thickness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b64904f9814f4eab842483bfa9d3708e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-b64904f9814f4eab842483bfa9d3708e2025-02-03T06:05:58ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2012-01-01201210.1100/2012/398765398765Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, ChinaDongping Meng0Jin-Tun Zhang1Min Li2Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaInstitute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, ChinaStudy on plant diversity is the base of woodland conservation. The Guancen Mountains are the northern end of Luliang mountain range in North China. Fifty-three quadrats of 10 m×20 m of woodland communities were randomly established along an altitudinal gradient. Data for species composition and environmental variables were measured and recorded in each quadrat. To investigate the variation of woodland communities, a Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were conducted, while species diversity indices were used to analyse the relationships between species diversity and environmental variables in this study. The results showed that there were eight communities of woodland vegetation; each of them had their own characteristics in composition, structure, and environment. The variation of woodland communities was significantly related to elevation and also related to slope, slope aspect, and litter thickness. The cumulative percentage variance of species-environment relation for the first three CCA axes was 93.5%. Elevation was revealed as the factor which most influenced community distribution and species diversity. Species diversity was negatively correlated with elevation, slope aspect, and litter thickness, but positively with slope. Species richness and heterogeneity increased first and then decreased but evenness decreased significantly with increasing elevation. Species diversity was correlated with slope, slope aspect, and litter thickness.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/398765 |
| spellingShingle | Dongping Meng Jin-Tun Zhang Min Li Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China |
| title_full | Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China |
| title_fullStr | Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China |
| title_short | Diversity of Woodland Communities and Plant Species along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Guancen Mountains, China |
| title_sort | diversity of woodland communities and plant species along an altitudinal gradient in the guancen mountains china |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/398765 |
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